TAUNTON — The School Committee took the unusual step Wednesday night of tabling a vote until next week’s joint meeting with the City Council.

The committee at that time will have the option of officially voicing its support of a $3.2 million plan to complete renovations to Taunton High School’s Theodore J. Aleixo Stadium.

The school committee already unanimously voted on March 5 to contribute $500,000 from its revolving school-choice fund to help pay for new bleachers and new bathrooms under the bleachers that comply with Americans with Disabilities Act; and an ADA-compliant press box.

The City Council, despite the urging of Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. to take quick action, subsequently delayed a vote whether to issue a bond and borrow the balance of $2.7 million.

Wednesday night’s vote was 7-to-1, with Josephine Almeida opposing, to delay until a “special meeting” next Tuesday night any formal, declaration of support for the renovation project.

Committee Chair Joseph Martin said although he personally supports the renovation project, he would prefer withholding his vote until he sees the architectural plans from Design Partnership of Cambridge.

Fellow committee member Josephine Almeida, despite her voting no later that evening, initially voiced support of Martin’s proposal, and noted that she wants assurance the project won’t exceed its $3.2 million price tag.

“We really need to look at the whole thing,” Almeida said.

City Councilor Gerald Croteau had previously requested a meeting with Superintendent Julie Hackett to clarify the proposed project.

Hackett said the stadium, which is used by as many as 18 sports teams and clubs, is “in desperate need of repair” and stressed that the field/sports facility should be considered a symbol of pride to visitors.

“It’s time for us to move forward,” Hackett said, echoing the sentiment of Hoye, who said much the same at a City Council meeting three weeks ago.

The mayor told school committee members the renovations represent “a huge investment” with “big ticket items” including steel stanchions. But he reiterated that the job needs to be undertaken as soon as possible.

The stadium currently has a temporary occupancy permit which has already been extended.

Committee member David Souza noted that two people attending sporting events in 2013 were injured in falls as a result of bleacher shortcomings.

In 2010, city officials were informed by the Massachusetts School Building Authority that the stadium bathrooms, bleachers and press box were not eligible as part of the debt-exclusion plan approved three years earlier by Taunton voters.

The debt-exclusion project to renovate Taunton High School, and build a new Parker Middle School next door, required residents to pay 17 percent with the state picking up the balance of 83 percent.

Page 2 of 2 - The state agreed to pay 83 percent but only up to $112 million.

In 2007, the City Council set a figure of $104 million for the construction project with the understanding that money from the city’s general operating fund would pay the difference if change orders caused the project to rise to $112 million, said former Mayor Charles Crowley, who was in office at the time.

Crowley said MSBA auditors informed him in 2010 that the city would have to carry the cost of the stadium bleachers, bathrooms and press box.

The MSBA’s assertion, Crowley said, was that the city submitted its project application in June of 2000, six months after the MSBA changed its rules regarding reimbursement of those types of stadium upgrades.

The School Committee also agreed to eventually allow spectators of Taunton High sporting events to use the bathrooms at the nearby Elizabeth Pole Elementary School while new bathrooms are being built and installed.